Holidays are right around the corner
When I entered Duane Reade mid-September, the store had a variety of seasonal decorations. It seemed every year, stores rolled out candy and decorations earlier than the previous. This year was no exception. As I walked back to my apartment, the neighborhood filled with seasonal decorations surprised me. Neighbors had Halloween inflatables tied to the front gates, and skeletons hanging from awnings. There were pumpkins carved and posted on stoops. What was even more surprising: Christmas garland wrapped around hand railings. It was clear the holiday season was in full swing. However, what is more evident, is that I am not in the holiday spirit.
Halloween 2021
It’s October 2021 and the first stop on the seasonal holiday train is Halloween. To be honest, I was never the biggest fan of trick or treating, but as obvious as it is Halloween-time, Covid-19 is still making a daily appearance. While one side of my neighborhood might celebrate their holiday spirit with scary decorations and Thanksgiving turkeys, fellow New Yorkers pass my other side, our eyes meeting briefly as we simultaneously adjust our masks. This is the new norm now, as we protect ourselves from this deadly disease. Which brings me to my primary concern, with Halloween right around the corner, parents are faced with the decision of trick or treating this year.
Last October, the city was slowly opening up. It was a straightforward decision to nix trick or treating. However, this year the decision didn’t come as lightly, as people fall back into their comfortability and return to their regular Halloween celebrations. The City is functioning more efficiently now. Remote learning is a thing from the past and rush hour is once again an annoying daily occurrence.
It’s no wonder we feel as though things are back to normal. But underneath it all, Covid-19 is still a real concern and my family is taking enough risks. With asthma and COPD competing for the top diagnosis in my family, we’re at a high risk to say the least. Confirmed cases are still relatively high and not everybody exercises the precautions. Surely my concern is understandable.
Get in the holiday spirit!
Now the question lies, what do we do? With large gatherings and extended interactions with people not an option for my family this year, we’re struggling to make sure this holiday season is as memorable as the previous years. However, we’re on a mission. We will not let our sour moods and Covid-19 put any more dampers on our holidays. Stay tuned for our next post on how to make a cozy Covid-19 safe Halloween!
